Strand handling apparatus

ABSTRACT

A strand guide for strand winding machines arranged on a mounting movable away from the winding mandrel at a rate corresponding to the strand buildup whereby the angle of introduction of the strand to the wound package is maintained constant to avoid changes in winding tension. The strand guide mount is moved as a timed function in one example through the medium of a fluid drive including a precision control check.

United States Patent [1 1 3,695,523 Genson et al. [4 1 Oct. 3, 1972 [54] STRAND HANDLING APPARATUS 2,769,299 11/1956 Keith ..242/18 R X [72] Inventors: Samuel Richard Genson Weston; 2,740,589 4/1956 Keith ..242/18 R- Svend Aage Petersen; Robert Lee Primary Examiner-Stanley N. Cnlreath Currier both of Toledo n of Ohm Attrney-J0hn A. McKinney and Robert M. Krone [73] Assignee: Johns-Manville Corporation, New

York, N.Y. 4 [57] ABSTRACT [22] Filed: Oct. 26, 1970 A strand guide for strand winding machines arranged on a mounting movable away from the winding man- [211 Appl' 83807 drel at a rate corresponding to the strand buildup whereby the angle of introduction of the strand to the [52] US. Cl. ..242/ 18 R, 242/43 wound package is maintained constant to avoid [51] Int. Cl. ..B65h 54/02, B65h 54/28 changes in winding tension. The strand guide mount is [58] Field of Search .....242/18 R, 18 G, 18 B, 18 CS, moved as a timed function in one example through the 242/42, 43, 43.1 medium of a fluid drive including a precision control check. 56 R f 't d 1 r e e 4 Claims, Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS i r 2,335,975 12/1943 Stahl et a]. ....242/18 R l I 22 2e i g 8 ill I g; 52 l I I 54 :Z; \K\\ I 44 1'] /1 3O 0 1 0 i i 55 1 l 55%;; "72 'l g L 'ii SZlL i- 55 m:::::*

PATENTEDnma um I 3.695.523 snmlnrz INVENTQRS SAMUEL R. GENSON SVEND A. PETERS EN ROBERT L. CUIRRIER BY gamm ATTORNEY PATENTEDnms 1912 3.695.523

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I l I II I INVENTORS E? SAMUEL R. GENSON 72 SVEND A. PETERSEN 86/82 5 H2 H4 ROBERT L. CURRIER ATTORNEY STRAND HANDLING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to winding and strand traverse mechanism for strand winding machines wherein the winding spindle and the strand traverse are separated as the package of wound strand builds.

Heretofore it has been known to guide a strand along the winding axis of a mandrel upon which the strand is to be wound in a pattern which deposits the windings in place to build a package. Further, such guide or traverses have been arranged so that they are maintained relatively close to the mandrel and, as the winding package builds, are moved away from the mandrel. As shown in Taylor U.S. Pat. No. 1,427,035 issued Aug. 22, 1922 and entitled Traverse Motion for Winding Machines, the winding mandrel can be supported on a swinging arm which allows it to recede from the axis of a drive-roll rotatable on a fixed axis with the growth of the winding and thereby recede from a strand guide mounted with the drive roll and movable on a fixed path along the winding axis.

Where the winding mandrel is independently driven, thereby eliminating the drive roll, the strand guides have been provided with spacer guides to maintain a spaced relation between winding mandrel and strand guide by again allowing the winding mandrel to recede from the strand guide as the package size grows. This concept is illustrated in J. M. Current US. Pat. No. 3,249,312 of May 3, 1966 for Method and Apparatus For Winding Strand Material." In the Current mechanism, the spacer guide is a roller which bears upon and follows the outer periphery of the package.

An alternative way of maintaining the spaced relationship between the package periphery and the strand guide is to pivotally mount the thread guide to permit it to recede away from the winding package under the guidance of a sensor operating similar to the above spacer guide and bearing on the package periphery. The guide and sensor are moved a very slight distance away from the package in increments, each increment of movement taking place with a predetermined displacement of the sensor bearing upon the periphery of the package. The prior art discloses it is preferable to render the sensor operative only when it is adjacent to an .end region of the package. The sensor is caused to travel in contact with the face of the package when the package engages it at any point other than the end of the package.

In all the above apparatus of the prior art either a guide means or sensor means, either continuously or periodically, engages the face of the package. These means are necessary to maintain a spaced relationship between the strand guide and the continually increasing periphery of the package as it is wound. If the spaced relationship is not maintained, the strand is forced further around the strand guide increasing tension within the strand thereby causing the layers on the package to become more tightly wound. in addition, the outer surface of the package is caused to be wider than the inner layers resulting in successive layers being overlapped and virtually tied together. The problem then arises of the strands not being free for unwinding from the package when used in subsequent production operations. Contact with the wound strand tends to cause a buildup on the contact element of material wiped from the strand and to abrade and displace the strand.

The present guide mechanism is directed at the above tension problem as well as the additional problems involved with winding coated and frangible strands. Where a fluid coating is applied to the strand prior to winding the strand into a package, contacting the surface of the package with guide or sensor results in a tendency to wipe the coating off of the surface strands of the package. Further, the coating removed by such contact builds up on the strand guide mechanism thereby clogging the mechanism. Maintaining tension where the strand is glass fiber being wound directly upon formation from molten glass is even more critical because the strand is in a frangible condition when approaching the winding machine.

SUMMARY The present apparatus relates to mechanisms for guiding strand being wound into multiple layer packages on a winding machine, and more particularly to strand guide mechanisms capable of continuous movement to maintain a spaced relationship between the strand guide and the continually increasing periphery of the package of strand being wound. The spaced relationship is achieved without the use of spacing guides or sensors contacting the surface of the package of strand.

An example of a strand guide having the above characteristics is a pivotally mounted traverse mechanism which is swingable outwardly away from a package of strand being wound on a winding machine. The movement of the pivotal mount is achieved by a bar and lever type linkage which converts linear motion of an actuator into rotational motion for the pivotal mount. The actuator is a pivotally mounted cylinder operator which is guided by a cam whose angularity with respect to an actuator bar causes movement of the actuator bar as the cylinder operator rod advances. The rod is slidably connected to both actuator bar and cam by a slide and cam follower respectively. The speed of the rod, and thereby the actuator bar, are accurately controlled by a checking cylinder. The angularity of the cam is adjustable to obtain the correct travel distance for the actuator bar and, therefore, for the rotation of the pivotal mount. The space between the package of strand being wound and that portion of the strand guide which contacts the strand as it approaches the package can be maintained essentially constant to hold the angle over which strand is turned essentially constant, by correlating strand buildup on the package and the travel time on the cylinder operator stroke. The strand guide can therefore be controlled to move at a rate equal to the rate of buildup of strand on a given package of strand being wound.

Control of the strand guide movement can be either continuous or intermittent with the motion of the strand guide likewise being either continuous or intermittent.

The strand guide is a simple mechanical device having a wide range of adjustment and a rugged actuating mechanism. A high degree of accuracy is available from the strand guide while the adjustments required remain simple to render the strand guide motion easy to regulate. The elimination of any requirement of con tacting the surface of the package of strand being wound results in particular suitability of the strand guide to coated strand whereby wiping the coating off of the surface of the package is prevented as well as clogging of the mechanism form accumulated coating thereon. Continuous positioning of the strand guide permits more even tension in the strand thereby decreasing package deformation, and reducing the tendency of the strand to break when unwound from the package for reuse. The better package buildup enables larger packages to be wound.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a fragment of a bushing feeding glass fibers past an applicator to gathering wheels from which strands are wound on a winding machine incorporating a strand guide mechanism according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the equipment in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the actuator for the strand guide mechanism taken along line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a section taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3 with the exception of the cylinder which is shown in full view; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged end view and partial section of the actuating mechanism of FIG. 3 taken along line 5- 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the bottom portion of a bushing 12 is illustrated from which a number of glass fibers 14 are drawn and gathered into two strands 16 at gathering wheels 18. An applicator 20 upstream of the gathering wheels 18 applies a coating such as a resin binder to the fibers 14. The strands 16 then pass over strand guides 22 and are wound by the winding hub 24 of the winding machine 26. The winding hub 24 carries two or more forming tubes 28 on each of which a strand 16 is wound. FIG. 2 illustrates the initial position A of the strands at the start of the winding process and a subsequent position B, by dashed lines, which is indicative of the strands 16 after a number of layers of strands 16 have been placed on the forming tubes 28. The equipment illustrated produces packages of wound strand 16 on the forming tubes 28 for use in subsequent processes wherein the strand 16 is unwound from the tube for use again as a strand 16. While the equipment described is for producing wound packages of coated fiber glass strand 16, it will be appreciated that the apparatus incorporated within the equipment and described below is applicable to strands of other materials whether coated or uncoated.

Successive layers of strand 16 are wound on the forming tubes 28 in a patterned form by the interrelated movements of the winding hub 24 and strand guides 22. The winding hub 24 is rotated by what can best be described as an inverted motor having an armature portion affixed to a movable frame 30 resulting in rotation of the motor housing. The winding hub 24 is placed over and affixed to the motor housing. Forming tubes 28 affixed to the face of the winding hub 24 are rotated by the motor housing and hub 24, thereby winding the strands attached to the forming tubes 28 onto the face thereof. The strands 16 are caused to traverse the face of the forming tubes by movement of the movable frame 30, by a cylinder not shown, in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the winding hub 24. At the same time, rotation of the strand guide 22 traverse mechanism 32 imparts movement to the strands in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the winding hub 24. Proper coordination of the movement of the forming tubes 28 mounted on the movable frame 30 with the movement imparted to the strands 16 by the traverse mechanism 32 causes the strand to be wound in a regular pattern. One of the pattern contours obtainable is illustrated in phantom in FIG. 1 where the ends 34 of the packages are tapered.

The strand guide 22 is movable in spaced relation to the buildup of layers of strand 16 'on the forming tubes 28. The distance between the surface layer of strand l6 and the strand guide 22 is maintained generally constant. In maintaining the distance between the surface layer of strand 16 and the strand guide 22 it can be seen from FIG. 2 that as the packages of strand l6 builds up from position A to position B, the strand guide 22 must be moved back away from the winding hub 24 to a position where the traverse mechanism 32 would engage the strands 16 in position B. Thus, the angle of introduction of the strands 16 to the package being wound remains the same and the paths of the strands 16 between the gathering wheels 18 and the packages is generally nearly a straight line as viewed in FIG. 2 and oscillates between the limits of the traverse as viewed in FIG. 1. Only enough deflection of the strands 16 at the point that the strands 16 pass the strand guide 22 is introduced as is required to retain the strands 16 in contact with the rotating traverse mechanism 32. Since the packages are continually increasing in diameter as the strands 16 are wound, the strand guide 22 is also moved continuously.

Two traverse mechanisms 32 are fixedly mounted on the traverse rod 36 of the strand guide 22 by collars 29. Other strand guides 22 may have one or more traverse mechanisms and in some cases the traversing feature may not be required. The traverse rod 36 has a journal connection to pivotal bars 38 which support both the traverse mechanisms 32 and the electric motor 40 for rotating the traverse rod 36. Pivotal bars 38 are affixed to the rotatable shaft 42 which has journal connections to the knee structures 44. The knee structures 44 are rigidly connected to each side of the frame 46 of the winding machine 26. Linkage bar 48 has a notch conforming to the contour of rotatable shaft 42 located on the linkage bar 48 to mate with the rotatable shaft where the two intersect. A mating notched clamp 50 fits underneath the linkage bar 48 at the point of intersection with the rotatable shaft 42 and is bolted to the linkage bar 48 to firmly attach the rotatable shaft to the linkage bar 48. The other end of the linkage bar 48 is actuator 62 is converted by the linkage to rotational motion on pivotal bars 38 of the strand guide 22. Other means of imparting motion to the strand guide can comprise a mounting on rollers or a slidable mount which moves horizontally on a base such as knee structure 44. In addition, the linkage could be replaced with other mechanisms for transferring motion from the actuator 62 to the pivotal bars 38, for example, by gear rack and pinions.

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 illustrate the actuator 62 in grater detail. The linkage is connected to the actuator 62 by a pivotal connection between connecting bar 60 and link 64. Link 64 is bolted to an actuator bar 66 which is pivotally mounted for arcuate motion in the horizontal plane at its free end, along with hydraulic cylinder operator 68 by virtue of the trunions 70. These trunions 70 have journal connections with support angle 72 and base 74 which is a structural angle with a journal plate affixed to one end thereof. The base 74 is fixedly connected to the frame 46 of the winding machine 26 and supports both the operator 68 and cam 76. The cam 76 is swingable in a horizontal plane about a pin 73 inserted into base 74 and cam 76 at the longitudinal end of the cam 76 farthest from the operator 68. A longitudinal groove 78 in the cam 76 is open at the top and contains a cam follower 80 into which a journal pin 82 is seated. The journal pin 82 passes up through the slide 84 of the actuator bar and terminates within the crosshead 86. A slot 88 in the actuator bar 66 retains the slide 84. The crosshead 86 is bolted to the cylinder rod 90 of the operator 68 as well as the cylinder rod 92 of the checking cylinder 94. The checking cylinder 94 is supported at the rod end by a plate 96 affixed to the actuator bar 66 to which the checking cylinder front mount 98 is bolted. The cylinder back mount 100 is bolted to the actuator bar extension 102 whereby the checking cylinder 94 and operator 68 are rigidly interconnected structurally, and both are swingable in a horizontal plane about trunions 70.

FIG. 5 best illustrates cam stops 104 and 106 on both sides of the cam 76 at the end opposite the rotatable pin connection. One cam stop 104 consists of a segmental structural angle 108 bolted to the base 74 with a stop bolt 110 threaded through the angle 108 to abut against the side of the cam 76. A lock nut 112 is provided to firmly fix the position of the stop bolt 110. Similarly, the other cam stop 106 consists of a stop bolt 110, lock nut 112, and cam stop plate 114 which plate 114 is bolted to the base 74. The cam stops 104 and 106 are adjustable by backing off the lock nuts 112 to release the stop bolts 110 which can then be screwed in or out to firmly position the cam 76 which is swingable between the stop bolts 110.

The hydraulic cylinder operator 68 is powered by a conventional hydraulic power unit and an electrically operated four-way control valve, neither of which is illustrated. The supply of hydraulic fluid is furnished to the back port 116 of the operator 68 and returned by the front port 118.

The actuator functions in the following manner. As the cylinder rod 90 moves from its starting position c (shown in phantom in FIG. 4) the journal pin 82 is guided by the cam follower 80 riding in groove 78 of the cam 76 which is placed on a variable angle with the actuator bar 66. Movement of the cylinder rod 90,

therefore causes the actuator bar 66 and cylinder operator 68 to rotate about the trunions 70. With the angularity of the cam 76 being small a large movement of the cylinder rod results in a very small movement of the actuator bar 66 which is linked to the strand guide to impart rotational motion thereto. Thus movement of the actuator bar through the linkage causes the pivotal bars 38 to be rotated out away from the winding hub 24 as the cylinder rod advances from position C to position D of FIG. 4.

The speed of the cylinder operator 68 is accurately controlled to correlate with the rate of package buildup of strand l6, and the cam 76 angularity is set to correlate with the amount of strand 16 to be built-up on the package of strand 16. Thus, the strand guide 22 is continually moved away from the package of strand 16 at a rate equal to the rate of advance of the strand 16 toward the strand guide 22 as strand builds up on the package.

The cylinder operator 68 speed is controlled on the actuator 62 illustrated by a checking cylinder 94 affixed to the cylinder operator 68. Typical of a checking cylinder 94 of this nature is one manufactured commercially by the Bellows Co. under the trademark Hydro-Check. Briefly, the checking cylinder is oil filled having a checking piston rod 92, adjustable needle valve assembly 120 and a springloaded balance cylinder 122 as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5. The operator 68 forces the checking piston rod 92 outward upon forward movement of cylinder rod 90 because of the interconnection between the rods 90 and 92 within the crosshead 86. Movement of the checking rod 92 moves a piston within the checking cylinder forcing oil therein through the transfer tube 124, through the needle valve assembly 120 and into the rear of the checking cylinder 94. The rate of flow of oil through the valve assembly 120 is adjustable by turning the knob 126 which controls the size of the passage through a needle valve within the valve assembly 120. The rate of piston advance is very accurately controlled by the fixed flow past the valve assembly 120. The checking piston rod 92 is easily returned by flow through a one-way valve (not shown) in the checking piston. The balance cylinder 122 compensates for checking piston rod 92 displacement in the inward stroke, since the system is a closed one, returning the displaced amount of fluid to the checking cylinder on the outward stroke stroke by a spring loaded piston.

Other actuating means for the strand guide 22 could be used requiring complimentary speed control means. The hydraulic cylinder operator 68 could be replaced by a pneumatic cylinder, hydraulic motor or other type drives requiring their own speed control.

A continuously movable strand guide 22 has been described which has a rate of movement away from a building up package of strand 16 which is directly correlated to the rate of advance of the buildup on the package toward the strand guide 22. The continuous movement of the strand guide 22 is independent of any contact with the surface of the package.

The strand guide 22 permits more even tension in the strand, better package buildup and larger package buildup. As a result there is a significant decrease in package deformation and in breakage occurring upon unwinding the strand from the package. Further, since there is not a requirement of contact the surface of the package of strand 16, clogging of contacts and sensors has been eliminated along with the wiping of the surface layer of strand 16 on the package where the strand coated.

The strand guide 22 actuating mechanism is a simple mechanical device with a wide range of adjustment which is easy to regulate and accurate. The mechanism is also rugged to withstand dirty conditions as well as machinery vibration and the like.

What is claimed is:

1. In a strand winding machine for winding strand into a package on a strand receiving form rotated about a winding axis, the improvement comprising a strand guide for guiding a strand onto said form, an actuator for moving said strand guide toward and away from the winding axis of said form, said actuator including a hydraulic cylinder, said actuator being connected by linkage to said strand guide, and control means free of the strand surface wound on said form for controlling said actuator in a manner correlated to the buildup of the strand surface wound on said form whereby said control means maintains said strand guide in spatial relationship to the strand surface wound on said form, said control means including a checking cylinder affixed to the actuator to control the rate of movement of the strand guide by controlling the speed of the actuator, and said control means including means for adjusting the checking cylinder to effect different speeds for the actuator.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said actuator for moving said strand guide includes a cam, a cam follower which is connected to said hydraulic cylinder, and means for adjusting the position of said cam to regulate the distance traveled by said strand guide.

3. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said strand guide includes a traverse mechanism for guiding the strand over the face of said receiving form.

4. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said actuator includes a cam and a cam follower connected to said hydraulic cylinder which is pivotally mounted and develops relative motion between said cam and said cam follower, a pivotally mounted actuator bar and a slide, said bar being connected to said cylinder at the pivotal end thereof, said slide being connected to said cam follower and said hydraulic cylinder, and said slide being slideable within said bar to cause said cylinder and bar to swing when said cam is fixed at an angle to said bar upon actuating said cylinder, said linkage including linkage for converting linear motion to rotational motion to swing said strand guide; and said control means includes a needle valve for adjusting the checking cylinder which controls the speed of said hydraulic cylinder; and including a traverse mechanism for said strand guide to guide the strand over the face of said receiving form. 

1. In a strand winding machine for winding strand into a package on a strand receiving form rotated about a winding axis, the improvement comprising a strand guide for guiding a strand onto said form, an actuator for moving said strand guide toward and away from the winding axis of said form, said actuator including a hydraulic cylinder, said actuator being connected by linkage to said strand guide, and control means free of the strand surface wound on said form for controlling said actuator in a manner correlated to the buildup of the strand surface wound on said form whereby said control means maintains said strand guide in spatial relationship to the strand surface wound on said form, said control means including a checking cylinder affixed to the actuator to control the rate of movement of the strand guide by controlling the speed of the actuator, and said control means including means for adjusting the checking cylinder to effect different speeds for the actuator.
 2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said actuator for moving said strand guide includes a cam, a cam follower which is connected to said hydraulic cylinder, and means for adjusting the position of said cam to regulate the distance traveled by said strand guide.
 3. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said strand guide includes a traverse mechanism for guiding the strand over the face of said receiving form.
 4. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said actuator includes a cam and a cam follower connected to said hydraulic cylinder which is pivotally mounted and develops relative motion between said cam and said cam follower, a pivotally mounted actuator bar and a slide, said bar being connected to said cylinder at the pivotal end thereof, said slide being connected to said cam follower and said hydraulic cylinder, and said slide being slideable within said bar to cause said cylinder and bar to swing when said cam is fixed at an angle to said bar upon actuating said cylinder, said linkage including linkage for converting linear motion to rotational motion to swing said strand guide; and said control means includes a needle valve for adjusting the checking cylinder which controls the speed of said hydraulic cylinder; and including a traverse mechanism for said strand guide to guide the strand over the face of said receiving form. 